A ONE-ARMED boy who dreamed of climbing trees and shaking hands has been given a 3D printed robotic arm

Six-year-old Alex Pring was born without his right arm and had always struggled in life, but students from the University of Central Florida (UCF) have created a 3D printed prosthetic arm so he can fulfill his dream of shaking hands and climbing trees.

The engineering students used a Stratasys 3D printer to make the fully functioning arm for Alex.

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Alex was thrilled he would finally be able to 'climb trees and shake hands'

The Dimension Elite 3D Printer was designed in just seven weeks by the E-Nable team, led by Aerospace engineering Ph.D. student Albert Manero.

The printer used Ivory ABS material so it was strong but still light enough for Alex to move easily.

E-Nable, a network of 3D printing enthusiasts, are hoping to develop 3D prosthetic hands for those in need one day.

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The 3D printer has changed Alex's life completely

Albert Manero said: "He learned to use the prosthetic fast. When he could control it, the first thing he did was hug his mother. He said it was their first real hug. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room."

"I think 3D printing is revolutionizing our world in many ways. I believe changing the world of prosthetics is very real,” adds Manero. “Stratasys tools with UCF ingenuity will change the world.”

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UCF students have given Alex a chance to live life like a normal six-year-old

The UCF students are continuing to look for new ways to improve their design and as Alex gets older, they hope to create a larger 3d printed arm for him for a fraction of the price of traditional prosthetics.

They also plan to publish the design files online for public access with instructions to 3D print so more lives can be transformed for the better.